Officials recently celebrated the grand opening of a 53-unit development that is the latest phase of the sweeping Oakwood Shore revitalization project in Chicago.
“Our development team is proud to open the doors at 508 Pershing, a mixed-income, mixed-use development contributing to Bronzeville’s ongoing revitalization. 508 Pershing, with its thoughtful design and numerous amenities, will attract and serve individuals and small families looking to move to or stay in Bronzeville,” said Kemena Brooks, Midwest director of development, at The Community Builders (TCB).
TCB’s partners in the project include Granite Development, Ujima, the Chicago Department of Housing, 4th Ward Alderman Sophia King, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), and UnitedHealth Group.
The new 508 Pershing development features 53 apartments for households earning from between 30% and 80% of area median income, including 20 apartments for CHA residents, and at market rate. The development also features 3,200 square feet of ground floor retail space along with on-site management offices.
“CHA is proud to work with partners, like The Community Builders, Granite Development, and Ujima, to invest in creating mixed-use, mixed-income environments that catalyze families’ growth, health, and economic independence,” said CHA CEO Tracey Scott. “When CHA invests in new construction, we are not replacing the public housing of the past, we are building strong communities that can sustain themselves for the future.”
Resident amenities include a fitness center, a resident lounge, a dog spa, and an outdoor patio. In addition, residents are well served by a nearby grocery store, a new bank, and the Arts and Rec Center at Ellis Park. The TCB Community Life team is also on-site to connect residents to opportunity in six areas: workforce development, asset building, community engagement, youth development, education, and health and wellness.
The new housing initiates the next stage of Oakwood Shores, a 100-acre mixed-use, mixed-income, revitalization effort replacing distressed public housing with homes and community amenities for households of varying incomes and sizes
508 Pershing was possible because of funding provided by the Chicago Department of Housing, CHA, BMO Harris, the National Affordable Housing Trust, UnitedHealthcare, Benefit Chicago, U.S. Bank, and ComEd. The total cost of the project is $24.3 million.
“We know that access to safe and affordable housing is a foundational need for better health,” said Tom Kunst, CEO of UnitedHealthcare of Illinois. “That’s why we continue to invest in projects like this one, which will help Chicagoans live healthier lives.”
McHugh BMI, a joint venture between McHugh Construction and Brown and Momen, a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE), led the construction with design by architecture firms NIA Architects, an MBE, and Antunovich Associates.
